Allowables...at your fingertips
Integrated Solution to Compute Virtual Allowables. Winner of the 2015 JEC Innovation Award and ACE Award for Composite Excellence.

Digimat-VA: Your next innovative Solution for Virtual Allowables Computation!

Digimat-composite-material-simulation-modeling-logo-digimat-va-virtual-allowables

Digimat Virtual Allowables is a Solution of Digimat software that integrates the right Digimat Tools and features to predict the behavior of composite coupons

   

Digimat-VA (“Virtual Allowables”) is an efficient solution that empowers engineers to virtually compare materials before going into the lengthy physical allowables. By generating virtual allowables, engineers can now start the component design in parallel to the physical allowable campaign.

Digimat-VA is a vertical solution developed to virtually predict the behavior of composite coupons (unnotched, open hole, filled hole). It allows engineers to screen, select and compute the allowables of composite materials in less time and at less cost.

NIAR has been researching on virtual allowables development for past few years and was excited to see some of the methodologies are implemented in Digimat-VA in a user-friendly manner. NIAR and e-Xstream partnership brings the knowledge of decades of material allowables development and simulations to produce great tools such as Digimat-VA.
-Waruna Seneviratne, Sr Research Engineer
Wichita State University, NIAR

Digimat Virtual Allowables simulation Solution for Composite coupons allows in a user friendly way to:

  • Define test matrix in a few clicks
  • Create multiscale material models based on composite datasheet
  • Model batch and process variability
  • Go beyond recommended CMH17 procedures
  • Turn a test matrix into FEA runs to obtain virtual allowables
  • Evaluate effect of defect such as porosity, delamination, ply waviness and AFP gapsnon-li


The Digimat-VA workflow:

  • 1)Define the allowables test matrix for any combination of
    • Materials
    • Layups
    • Environment conditions
    • Type of coupon tests
      • UNT/C
      • OHT/C
      • FHT/C
  • 2)Prepare the virtual tests
    • Select a CFRP material from the database or calibrate a material model out from data sheet
    • Define material, process and testing variability
    • Create finite element models of the coupons
  • 3)Post-process results
    • Automatic extraction of stress-strain curve and strength
    • Automatic computation of mean, A-basis and B-basis
    • Visualization of damage field output on coupon mesh
  • 4)Generate a customized report


Digimat-VA is powered by a non-linear FEA solver coupled with Digimat multi-scale modeling

  • Non-linear finite element solver
  • Digimat micromechanical progressive failure modeling
  • Digimat micromechanical advanced progressive failure modeling based on Pr. Camanho’s work



Highlighted outputs: Progressive Failure, Laminate A-basis and B-basis

Progressive failure

Progressive failure lets you describe the progressive laminate stiffness degradation throughout time, as a result of applied loads. Progressive failure also provides the ultimate strength of structures even after failure initiation.


Laminate A-basis and B-basis

B-basis is the evaluation of the tenth percentile of a strength distribution with 95% level confidence. A-basis is the evaluation of the first percentile of a strength distribution with 95% level confidence.